Hawaiian slack-key fests are an annual affair in Seattle, but before you go all ho-hum, note that both Cyril Pahinui and Ledward Kaapana are on the bill this year. That’s a whole lotta slackin’.

Pahinui, 64, is, the son of slack-key legend Gabby Pahinui and approaches this sweet, slow-motion traditional music with much of the same ringing, full-bodied gusto on guitar and smooth-sailing falsetto on vocals as his father. Pahinui the younger has appeared on three Grammy-winning compilations.

Kaapana, who occasionally shows a peppy jazz influence and also relishes telling silly jokes on stage, is a 2011 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow. He appeared on an album recorded at the 1993 Seattle Folklife Festival, “Ki Ho’alu Seattle Style.”

About us

Seattle Times music coordinator Paul de Barros has written about jazz and pop music for the paper since 1982 and is the author of “Jackson Street After Hours: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle.” On Twitter @pdebarros.

Andrew Matson is a freelance writer and close follower of the Seattle pop music scene – especially the genres of rap, rock and electronic. On Twitter @andrewmatson.

Seattle native Gene Stout has been writing about popular music for more than two decades and has interviewed and profiled many of Seattle’s best-known musicians. On Twitter @popmusiccritic.

Charles R. Cross is a Seattle-based writer who has authored eight books, including the bestselling biography of Kurt Cobain, "Heavier Than Heaven." On Twitter @Charlesrcross.

Charlie Zaillian served as music director of Olympia’s influential KAOS-FM, has a particular affection for punk rock and has freelanced for The Seattle Times since 2011. On Twitter @czaillian

Owen R. Smith is a freelance journalist and music writer, country music aficionado, erstwhile sportswriter and one-time novelist. On Twitter @inanedetails.

Gillian G. Gaar has written extensively about music and popular culture and is the author of several books. On Twitter @GillianGaar.

Mike Ramos is a Seattle native and freelance writer who has followed rap music since the early '90s and can sometimes be heard DJing on KEXP FM. On Twitter: @RAM0S206.

Andrew Gospe is a freelance writer and electronic musician who's called Seattle home since 2009. On Twitter: @gospea.